Wonderful game that really captures the spirit of the books.
Are you a fan of the books? Get this game.
Have you never read the books? Get this game and you'll know a lot about them. And you might be inspired to look for them afterwards, too!

My view/knowledge of Oz was pretty much shaped by the classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, though I was aware there was a series of books about Oz. I mention that since much of the value I found in the Adventures in Oz RPG has been about learning an ACCURATE version of the original writings. Hollywood got it wrong and/or changed details on a whim? I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you! :) There is quite a bit more depth to the land of Oz and many more odd characters to learn about. I have been encouraged to make some time in the future to read all the Oz books I have since downloaded to my Nook.

The Adventures in Oz RPG checks in at a brisk 77 pages, uses a simple gaming system (Stats are from 1-5, skill rolls are done rolling 2D6 and comparing the indivdual numbers to see if you got equal to or less than your skill rating, succeeding on both dice is special success), and the writing style fits the subject well. This is an RPG geared to a young (or young at heart) crowd. Talking and making friends is encouraged as the way to play. The art ranges from decent to good, and there is a beginning adventure to get you started.

Characters can be built by choosing from a number of templates, and the process is fairly quick and easy. There is a Character Pack you can buy for $1 more that gets you stats for the main characters and full size characters sheets (not the half page ones included in Adventures in Oz). These characters and the character sheets (human and animal forms) could easily have been included in the standard game, but it was only a dollar more, so only a minor complaint.

Do I see myself running an Oz campaign? Well, never-say-never, as I could see an occasional One-Shot type of RPG evening here and there, as a change of pace. I will also note that price was a BIG factor in my purchasing this RPG. I have a limit of about $15 for the PDF version of an RPG. That is for games I KNOW I will like and want to run. Other games I need to see at $10 or so, and then I can justify buying them even if only to steal some ideas for other games. At $5 or less for a PDF, I am prone to impulse buying with few regrets.

At the sale price of $6.99, I would suggest that anyone with even a passing interest in Oz adventuring, or just wanting to know more about Oz in an easy to absorb read, should pick this RPG up. If you have kids you want to teach about RPGs I would say this becomes a "must buy" game.

Ever since I was little, I mean really little, I have enjoyed "The Wizard of Oz". I can recall being about 4 or so and being frightened of the flying monkeys, the Winkies and of course the Wicked Witch. I also remember we had this old copy of the Wizard of Oz book in the house and I remembered how different it was than the movie.

Oz is a fascinating place really, and I was amazed the first time I learned how much of it was there beyond Dorothy and her friends. I learned about names like Mombi and Ozma. I will admit I have always wanted to put a "pumpkin head" in my games largely in part due to "Journey Back to Oz". In my WitchCraft games we also used to call witch hunters "Dorothies".

I think Oz is a bit under rated to be honest. It's not the drug referenced lands of Alice or even the purely fantasy of Peter Pan, it is, in a way, pragmatically American. But it is fertile land as well. It gave us "The Wiz" and "Tin Man" and of course, "Wicked".

So I was thrilled when I heard of F. Douglas Wall's Adventures in Oz RPG.
It is, like the literary Oz, a great game for the younger set. The rules are fast, simple to learn and you can be up and playing in no time at all. They game is also really, really fun. If you never play it, the book offers a good resource to using Oz in your own games.

The game is simple, fast and fun.

If you have kids and want to introduce them to the world of Role-playing then this is a great bet. Just like Oz you get a fantastic land that is kid friendly with characters we all know (or at least, mostly know) and like Oz there is a lot more to this game than seen at first glance.

This is also a great game for adults. I would recomend a game of Oz as a palette cleanser. There are no Tolkien dwarves or elves in this game, but plent of Muchkins, Winkies and Gilikins. There is magic, but it's not the same as all the other games you have played. Plus it is rules lite so Narators and players can get up to speed fast.

The rules are very simple, giving each character ratings of 1–5 in six basic skills (Athletics, Awareness, Brains, Sneaking, Presence, and Wits); a small variety of skill traits, special traits, and specialties serve to differentiate and individualize characters mechanically. Resolving actions boils down to skill tests using 2d6. If either die comes up equal to or lower than the target number, the action succeeds; if both dice come up equal to or lower than the target number, the character scores a “special” success. Otherwise, the character has failed. Fights, if necessary, are resolved using skill tests (or opposed tests, called “contests”), relying chiefly on the Athletics skill for physical blows and the Presence skill for intimidating dialogue. Damage is applied to the Wits skill, and a combatant who is reduced to 0 Wits has “lost the will to fight” and “may run away or surrender pitifully.” Much is left to the Narrator’s discretion, giving the game a feel that “old school” fans will appreciate.

Part I of the rulebook lays out the rules as discussed above, and also includes a chapter on Oz magic and a chapter of advice for the Narrator. Part II provides a tour of the land of Oz, highlighting interesting locations, notable personalities, and adventure possibilities. Part III presents “The Jaded City of Oz,” a marvelous introduction to the game and the setting as the characters encounter various unexpected obstacles on a parade through the land of Oz.

As the preceding comments make clear, I find this game to be a lot of fun. I rated four starts instead of five for two reasons. First, the “gray” layout and the discomfiting rate of grammatical errors (use of “it’s” where sentences call for “its” is particularly noticeable) detract from the overall experience. Second, given that the game is based on the published fiction of L. Frank Baum—now in the public domain due to its age—the publisher would have done well to apply a more generous copyright policy than “all rights reserved” to the text. A Creative Commons license that allows other authors to publish materials for the game would have been more appropriate.

An in-depth look at the land of Oz, incorporating TONS of detail -- I honestly didn't realize the books went into this much depth on Oz. The system is built to support the setting, with assumptions like "bonds of friendship are crucial" and "death is unknown." The game rules are very simple, but this fits the property -- you don't want to be looking up detailed grappling rules when the only real question is whether you can escape to the forest. (One exception is the magic rules, which are considerably more complex. I'm not faulting them, however, as magic is a VERY complicated subject, and you can't handwave the rules it if the PCs will be using it.) The included adventure (almost more of a mini-campaign!) is long, detailed, and looks enjoyable. I'm impressed with this book.